Chapter 10

Chapter

Ten

"What the fuck do you want?" Jupiter snapped.

"Just tryin' t'help." Howell held up his hands. "Yous should know they're checking every vehicle that goes in or outta here." He snorted. "They're definitely gonna notice yous trying to sneak out ya' lil' friend there. Everybody is on high alert tonight for this lil' shindig."

"How do you know that?" Trev demanded.

"'Cause duh. Emil personally told me to keep an eye out, and I quote, for anythin' lookin' suspicious." Howell gestured to them. "And yous two are lookin' mighty suspicious."

"How about you just pretend you didn't see us?" Trev tried, offering him a sweet smile.

If Howell really did have a crush on him, maybe he could use that to his advantage.

Trev advanced until he could slide his hand up Howell's shirt and give his tie a playful tug. He pouted his lips and gave Howell his most sultry purr. "Come on, baby. All you have to do is look the other way, okay?"

Howell grinned, but then he shook his head frantically. "Shit! No! Trust me, yous are a very temptin' slice of cake, but I'm workin' here, babe. The best thing to do is both of yous?—"

"No," Jupiter said firmly. "You're our new ticket out of here."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Jupiter drew his gun.

Howell did not appear distressed. He gave a slight shake of his head, but Trev wasn't sure why. "Listen to me very, very carefully. If yous get in that car right now, you're not gonna make it outta here."

Trev thought back to the key and the clothes Howell had brought him. Going with his gut, he demanded, "Okay, so what do we do? You want to help us, right?"

"I wanna help you ," Howell corrected.

"Help me then," Trev pleaded earnestly. "How the fuck do I get out of here right now, huh?"

"If you'd just wait a fuckin' minute?—"

"No," Jupiter snapped. "We're leaving right now." He grabbed Howell's neck, slamming the gun up against the side of his head. "Let's go." Without looking at Trev, he tossed him the car keys. "Here."

"Shit! Okay!" Trev scrambled to catch them.

Howell groaned in annoyance. "Oh my fuckin' God, you stupid fucks! Are you?—"

Jupiter cracked the butt of his gun against Howell's head again. "Shut up! Get in the fucking car."

A small trickle of blood dripped down Howell's forehead, and he smiled. "Yous are gonna fuckin' regret that."

"Later." Jupiter kept the gun on Howell and forced him into the front passenger seat.

Trev got in behind the wheel and cranked the engine, his fingers trembling from the rush of adrenaline. He waited for Jupiter to climb into the back and get situated, noting that he kept the gun pointed at Howell. "Okay. Okay, now what?"

"Drive," Jupiter said firmly. "Head for the gate."

"What if the guards won't let us through?"

"Be prepared to drive really, really fast."

"Fuck," Trev hissed between his teeth as he pulled out, headed for the driveway. The lights were automatic at least, so he didn't have to worry about finding them, and his heart continued to throb in the back of his throat and nearly choked every breath.

"Yous guys are fuckin' dumb," Howell drawled. "Like, stickin' your dick all up in a cheese grater to blow a load fuckin' dumb . If you'd just waited, like, five more minutes, ya' wouldn't have to pull this stupid shit."

"Shut up," Jupiter warned.

"I bet yous used to put forks in light sockets, huh?"

"Shut up."

Trev ignored them as he drove toward the gate at the end of the driveway. The gate was open, but there were two guards standing in the way, doubtlessly armed. They shielded their eyes against the headlights of the SUV, and one beckoned Trev to pull up. The other was reaching under his jacket.

Shit, shit, shit.

"Jupiter?" Trev asked urgently.

"Yous was the kid eatin' glue in class, huh?" Howell continued to taunt. "Probably like smellin' your own farts too. Pull up the covers and Dutch oven yourself on the regular."

"I said, shut up!" Jupiter snapped.

"First time you'd tried to get your fuck on, did ya' try to put it in their belly button? Or did ya' just hump their ass crack?"

" Jupiter !" Trev shouted.

They were only a few feet away from the guards now, and Trev had no idea what to do. He could floor it and pray they didn't get shot as they fled, but that seemed like a terrible plan.

The guard was coming up to the window.

"Yous are so fuckin' dumb I bet you'd climb a glass wall just to see what was behind it," Howell kept on, laughing now.

"I will fucking kill you if you don't shut the fuck up," Jupiter growled. "Tell these bastards to let us go?—"

The guard knocked on Trev's window, and Trev gritted his teeth. "Can you guys both shut up?"

Howell cackled. "If yous had double the brains ya' got now, you'd still be a half-wit!"

The guard knocked again, harder this time.

"One sec, sir! The, uh, child locks are on." Trev squirmed miserably. " Jupiter , what do I do?"

Jupiter huffed. "Lower the window and?—"

"Did yous even get that joke?" Howell grinned back at Jupiter. He didn't seem like he had a care in the world. "Mighta been too much 'cause it had some math in it. Half is a fraction, and?—"

Jupiter raised the gun right against the side of Howell's head as he snarled, "I told you to?—"

"For fuck's sake!" Trev groaned.

The guard banged on the window, and the other guard drew a gun.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

Pop .

Trev couldn't immediately identify the sound, but he saw the guard with the gun collapse.

Pop .

A splatter of blood hit the window, and Trev stared in horror as the other guard dropped out of sight.

Shot.

They'd both been shot .

Trev gasped. "Holy shit."

"What the fuck?" Jupiter stared. "Who?—"

Howell reached back, seizing Jupiter's wrist and giving it a cruel twist.

Jupiter yelled in pain, dropping the gun.

Howell was quick to snatch it up, and he turned in his seat with alarming speed to aim it at Jupiter. "Hey, Trev," he said, his eyes never leaving Jupiter. "Time to drive now."

Someone shouted.

Another voice joined, and they sounded like they were getting closer.

Jupiter turned around, looking through the back window. "Time to drive, Trev!"

"Shit!" Trev hit the gas, taking off through the gate. "Which way?"

"Right!" Jupiter ordered.

"No, fucking left!" Howell barked. "Come on!"

"Fuck!" Trev swerved to the left, overcorrected, and nearly went into the ditch. "Where the fuck are we going?"

"Away from here!" Jupiter shouted.

"At the end of the road, take a fuckin' right," Howell said quickly.

"Why the fuck should I listen to you?" Trev snapped.

"Because I don't wanna fuckin' die with yous two fucks!" Howell rolled his eyes. "We gotta lose these wheels. Fast."

"Why?"

"Because duh , they're all tagged." Howell shook his head. "I know where we can scoop up a ride, okay? It's clean."

"How do you know?" Jupiter asked suspiciously.

"Oh my God, 'cause I fuckin' left it there." Howell gestured at the upcoming T-intersection. "Right here and then park next to the big ol' construction barrels."

Trev took the turn as directed, and he saw the barrels Howell was talking about. They were around a big hole in the road, and there was a small sedan parked on the side of the road next to it.

"Park it. Just leave this piece of shit here." Howell nodded at Jupiter. "Yous get out first. Nice and easy."

Jupiter did as he was told while Trev parked the SUV and killed the engine. Trev retrieved the bag and lockbox, pausing as he watched Howell and Jupiter.

Jupiter hovered beside the sedan, and Howell reached into his jacket pocket without taking his eyes off Jupiter. He pulled out a set of keys and held them toward Trev.

"I'm driving again?" Trev huffed.

"Sorry." Howell snorted. "Lil' busy here."

"Right." Trev unlocked the sedan.

In the distance, tires squealed.

"Shit, shit, shit." Howell hissed. "Change of plans."

"What is that?" Trev demanded. "Who is that?"

Jupiter scowled angrily. "Luchesis. They're probably following the tag on the SUV."

"Time to go!" Howell snatched the keys from Trev.

"But… you… What are we doing?" Trev threw up his hands in frustration.

"Yous dumbasses want to live? Then get your asses in the fuckin' car!" Howell shouted as he jumped behind the wheel. "Now!"

Jupiter gritted his teeth. "Fuck. Let's go."

Trev hurried into the car, crawling into the back seat with the lockbox and bag. He stared as Jupiter got in the front seat, snapping, "We're really doing this?"

"I do like living," Jupiter replied.

"Hang onto your butts!" Howell turned the car on and then took off, not waiting for either Trev or Jupiter to even get their seat belts on. He peeled out onto the road, swinging the car around the SUV and driving back the way they came.

"Where the fuck are you going?" Jupiter snapped angrily.

"I got this shit, shuddup!" Howell barked back.

"Uh, guys?" Trev blinked slowly.

Maybe he was seeing things, but it looked like there were two SUVs up ahead, one in each lane and driving right at them.

"Guys?" Trev repeated. "Hello?"

"I sees 'em!" Howell continued forward.

" Howell —" Jupiter growled.

Neither of the incoming SUVs changed course, and Trev cringed, certain they were about to collide with one if not both vehicles. At the last possible second, Howell spun the wheel and took them into the ditch. Trev's head smacked the roof as the sedan bounced along through the grass, and Howell hit the gas, taking them back onto the road.

The drivers of the SUVs hit the brakes and got caught up trying to make three point turns without hitting each other to give chase.

Howell hummed as he turned around, smoothly driving by the SUVs as soon as there was an opening.

"Where the fuck are you going?" Jupiter snapped. "You're heading right back to the house!"

"Uh, yeah, because we need to go the other fuckin' way." Howell snorted. "Road behind us dead-ends into nothin'. We gotta get to the highway and that means drivin' back by the damn house."

Trev scrambled to get buckled in, grimacing as Howell took the next turn hard enough for the tires to squeal. "Jesus fuck! Come on!"

"Hang on!" Howell hit the gas again, zooming by the SUV they'd abandoned. "Those dumbasses ain't gonna let us get away that easy."

"Wait, you're not working for the Luchesis?" Trev demanded.

"What? Fuck those fuckin' fucks!" Howell scoffed. "I tried to fuckin' tell yous that I'm here to help you ! So just?—"

The back window shattered, raining glass over Trev. "Fuck!"

"Fuck me runnin' sideways!" Howell hissed.

"Get down!" Jupiter shouted.

"No shit!" Trev shouted back as he pressed himself against the seat.

"Hey! Big and ugly!" Howell snapped angrily, thrusting the gun at Jupiter. "How's 'bout yous shoot back?"

"Fuck you!" Jupiter growled.

"Fuck you!"

"Fuck you !"

"Fuck—"

"Fuck both of you!" Trev snarled. "Someone fucking do something !"

Jupiter cursed as he rolled down his window to return fire.

Trev slapped his hands over his ears and gritted his teeth as he pushed himself down into the floorboard. The car swerved again, the gunfire continued, and Trev was certain he was going to puke. He had no idea where they were headed now, but they were definitely headed there in a hurry.

More shots rang out, glass shattered, and Jupiter grunted. "Fuck!"

"Shit, yous hit?" Howell demanded.

"Just fucking drive ." Jupiter kept firing.

"We'll lose 'em on the highway," Howell said firmly. "Hold on, all right?"

Trev groaned miserably. "Where the fuck are we going?"

"Just stay down," Jupiter said. "Don't worry."

Trev couldn't track the time with his heart pounding in his ears and his head spinning, but he could sense the car picking up speed. They were probably on the highway now, and he hoped the danger had passed.

Howell was clearly working against the Luchesi family. There was no other reason he would have betrayed them and helped Trev and Jupiter escape.

Of course, the big question was why?

Did Howell plan to barter Trev back to Cold himself? What was his motivation for all of this?

Howell eventually pulled off onto an exit, judging by how the car slowed and came to a stop. The car got going again at a much slower speed, though Trev hesitated to move from his spot in the floorboard.

"Riverwood Acres?" Jupiter asked. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, yeah." Howell snorted. "We made it here in one fuckin' piece, didn't we? Who the fuck cares where it is?"

"Is it safe to fucking sit up?" Trev mumbled.

"Yeah, go ahead," Jupiter said.

Trev crawled back into the seat and looked around.

It was a long strip of fancy condos, and Howell parked in front of one with big bushes and a colorful doormat. "Home sweet home!"

Jupiter aimed his gun at Howell.

"Hey!" Howell pouted. "Seriously? After I saved your fuckin' asses? I thought we was past all that shit."

"Guess not." Trev batted his eyes sweetly. "Sorry not sorry."

"We're gonna get out real nice and slow," Jupiter said. "Once we get inside, we're going to have a nice conversation, okay? Real civilized like."

"Fine," Howell grumbled. "Let's go. Yous bleedin' all over my damn seats."

"Shit. Jupiter." Trev had honestly forgotten Jupiter was hurt. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Jupiter flashed him a quick smile. "Let's get inside, okay? You can play doctor on me in a minute."

Trev hurried out of the back seat, pausing to grab the lockbox and Jupiter's bag. He held them close and took a deep breath, glancing around the parking lot.

He half-expected an entire fleet of black SUVs to come rushing in and try to run him over.

Jupiter tucked the gun under his jacket and jerked his head at Howell. "Let's go."

"Sheesh!" Howell scoffed grumpily as he strolled to the door. "Where's the fuckin' gratitude, huh? Where's the fuckin' thank yous at? Did I get us outta there or what?"

"I'm still not sure you didn't have something to do with us almost getting caught," Jupiter challenged as he followed, still scowling.

"What? C'mon!" Howell rolled his eyes and wiggled the keys. "Yous guys really need to learn how to trust somebody. Everythin' I did was to help! C'mon."

"Open the damn door already."

"How 'bout a please?" Howell grinned.

"Now!"

"Fuck, so fuckin' bossy. Yous really need to work on your people skills." Howell mumbled a few more curses as he opened the door "There! Happy?"

"Move." Jupiter pushed Howell inside.

Trev hurried in behind them. He shut the door and locked it.

"What in the actual fuck?" Jupiter scoffed in disgust.

"What?" Trev turned to see why Jupiter was so upset.

The inside of the condo was furnished nicely and clean, but it was impossible to appreciate any of it because there was a man tied to a chair in the middle of the living room. He was gagged with duct tape, but he still shook his head and screamed frantically.

Trev couldn't make it out, but he was certain it was something to the effect of untie me right fucking now, please .

"What the hell is this?" Jupiter grimaced as he shoved Howell toward the man. "You're into kidnapping too?"

"Is it really kidnappin' if it's his own house?" Howell laughed.

"You really have no room to talk about kidnapping," Trev muttered to Jupiter.

"Hey, c'mon. He's fine!" Howell waved at the man. "He's still alive, ain't he?"

"Who the fuck is that?" Trev demanded.

"Oh!" Howell laughed. "That's Howell what's his name."

"Huh? That's Howell Hodges?" Jupiter snapped. "Then who the fuck are you?"

"A friend." Howell smiled warmly. "Ya' know, ya' ain't been makin' it easy to help yous."

"Me? What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Not you, stupid. Him." Howell smirked at Trev.

"The key." Trev frowned. " You left it? That was you?"

"Yeah, it was a long shot, but hey!" Howell shrugged. "It was worth a try."

"Who the fuck are you?" Jupiter asked again, leveling the gun at Howell's head. "No more bullshit. No more games! Who the fuck do you work for, huh? And who took out the guys at the gate?"

"All right, all right, sheesh. Keep your fuckin' panties on, bastard." Howell snorted. "One question at a time, fuckin' fuck. I work for Alistair Star, a businessman who's pretty good friends with a certain somebody's half-brother."

"Cold," Trev realized out loud.

"Yup." Howell clicked his tongue. "Once he heard you was snatched up, he worked fast to get some solid people down here to help get you out."

Trev grabbed a dish towel from the kitchen. He could see a tear in the fabric of Jupiter's jacket on his left shoulder. "Here."

"Thanks." Jupiter shrugged his jacket off with a wince, and his sleeve was soaked in blood. He took the towel to press against the wound, but he didn't take his eyes off Howell.

"We heard about this Howell prick, and hey, wouldn't you know it?" Howell grinned. "Nobody's ever actually met this dumb fuck before! It was a cinch to slip on in and just take his fuckin' place." He patted the real Howell's head. "He ain't been too happy, but fuck 'im."

Jupiter slowly lowered the gun. "You've been posing as Howell to get to Trev?"

"Yeah, duh. Hello? That's what I just fuckin' said." Howell—or whoever he was—scoffed. "Are you listenin' to a damn word I'm sayin'? Cold and his guys wouldn't have been able to get here in time. Me and my boy were closer."

"Your boy?"

"My friend. My buddy. Mr. Pew Pew up on the roof who helped us get away." Howell waved his hand. "He's been stickin' real close just in case any dumb shit went down. And oh look, some real dumb shit went down."

Trev narrowed his eyes. "Cold really sent you to help me?"

"No, I just thought it would be fun to pretend to be a douchebag arms dealer," Howell drawled. "Of course, Cold fuckin' sent us! Wow, yous guys really are fuckin' slow." He shook his finger at Jupiter. "I won't sure 'bout yous. Thought ya' were sidin' up with your family, but you're tryin' to get out too, huh?"

Jupiter glanced at Trev before replying, "Yes."

"Okay, good! I'd hate to kill ya'. Yous seem like a decent guy. For a bastard and all."

Jupiter scowled.

"Cute trick with the party, by the way," Howell teased. "That was yous guys, huh?"

"Yeah, and?" Trev wrinkled his nose. "It worked, didn't it? It gave us a way out."

"If you dumb dumbs had just waited until tomorrow morning, we could have walked right out the front door."

"What are you talking about?" Jupiter asked.

"Uh, hello, duh." Howell put his elbow on the top of the real Howell's head. "The family was gonna scoot out tomorrow to check a new location for their lil' drug operation. Emil, Sal, all of 'em."

"Why didn't you just fucking say that?" Trev groaned.

"Because this big bastard wouldn't shut the fuck up!" Howell gestured at Jupiter. "Besides, how the hell was I supposed to know he was all right? He did chain you to a fuckin' wall."

"Come on." Jupiter scoffed. "One time!"

Trev stared at Jupiter.

"Okay, fine, and the leash thing." Jupiter rolled his eyes. "But that was for the party and not my idea."

"Bleed more quietly, please." Trev huffed and looked to Howell. "Do you have a first aid kit or anything here so we can patch him up?"

"How the fuck should I know?" Howell blinked in surprise. "I don't fuckin' live here. Hey, fuck nuts." Howell tapped the real Howell's head. "Yous got a first aid kit or somethin' here?"

The real Howell screamed angrily.

Howell shrugged. "I think that's a no."

"Well, we need to get Jupiter to stop bleeding everywhere and then we're getting the fuck out of here," Trev said firmly. "The Luchesis saw you leave with us, so it's only a matter of time before they come banging on the door. I, for one, would like to not be here."

"Yeah, yeah." Howell waved his hand. "Don't worry. We got some time, all right? Let me go check the bathroom and see what I can find." He gave the real Howell a friendly pat on the head and then left, heading down an adjacent hallway.

Trev sighed, his shoulders sagging. He was exhausted down to his bones, and he melted when Jupiter wrapped his uninjured arm around him. He let himself relax, bowing his head against Jupiter's chest. "Holy shit, can we do that again, like, never?"

"Which part?" Jupiter teased. "The car chase, me getting shot, or the leash?"

"All of it. Except maybe the leash." Trev managed a tired smile.

Jupiter gave the collar a small tug. "Yeah? Not gonna lie… I did like leading you around."

"I bet you did, Daddy." Trev snorted. "Freak."

Jupiter smiled warmly and kissed Trev's brow. His expression grew serious, and he squeezed Trev a little closer. "Are you all right? You didn't get cut up or anything, did you?"

"No, I'm fine. Promise. Just…" Trev shivered. "Rattled, I guess. Have all of this adrenaline and nowhere to put it."

Jupiter grinned.

"I am not fucking you right now." Trev swatted him.

"Why not?"

"First of all, there's a tied up arms dealer right there , we're still on the run from the Luchesis, and oh yeah, you're bleeding on me."

"Ah. So, later?"

"Later."

Howell returned with a small first aid kit. "Ta-dah! There's some gauze and shit in there. Might be enough to fix ya' up."

Jupiter still had the gun in his hand, and he hesitated to put it away.

Howell waved the case. "C'mon. I ain't gonna try to shoot yous right now. We're on the same side, remember? The side where I deliver Trev here to Cold, alive and well."

Trev's heart thumped. "You're taking me to Cold?"

"Uh, yeah." Howell tilted his head. "Am I speakin' English okay? Jesus, that is why I'm here! To get your ass to Strassen Springs."

Jupiter tucked his gun under his jacket to accept the first aid kit. "You're about as clear as fucking mud."

"Choke on a crusty sandpaper fuckin' ball sack."

"What?" Jupiter grunted as he set the first aid kit on the counter so he could take off his shirt. "That doesn't make any fucking sense."

"It'll make plenty of sense when your chin gets all fuckin' raw from the sandpaper!"

"Oh my God."

"Can both of you shut up for two fucking seconds? I can't even hear myself think!" Trev shook his head. "I want to leave the fucking country, okay? I want to get as far away from all of this bullshit as possible."

"And that's fine! Groovy!" Howell flashed two big thumbs-up. "Whatever. But first you're going to see Boss Cold."

Trev thought he heard the door open, but when he turned around to check, he didn't see anyone. He turned his attention back to Howell. "You still haven't told us who you really are," he reminded Howell. "Why the fuck would I go anywhere with you?

"Oh! My apologies." Howell bowed his head politely. "Allow me to introduce myself."

Jupiter grunted and suddenly collapsed, the gauze scattering across the floor.

"Jupiter!" Trev shouted, staring in horror at a handsome man with wild eyes who had just struck Jupiter in the head with the butt of a pearl-handled gun. "What the fuck ?"

The man smiled.

It was downright chilling.

"That there's my good friend, Erasmus Argento," Howell said with a grin. "Don't worry. He's real friendly once ya' get to know 'im. Never really blinks though, but hey, ya' get used to it after a while. Real crack shot, that one. And oh yeah! My name's Maurice Martine Junior, but yous can just call me Junior."